Button drilling machine



Dec. 2, 1952 Filed Dec. 8, 1951 Jig] P. HUTCHINSON BUTTON DRILLING MACHINE ill 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1952 P. HUTCHINSON BUTTON DRILLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 195] fm/emor Philzp Hutchinson l952 VP. HUTCHINSON 2,619,856

' BUTTON DRILLING MACHINE v Filed Dec. 8, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 [nuenfar Phi/1p /7uzc lzz'ns 0n 5 his 619 Patented Dec. 2, 1952 BUTTON DRILLING MACHINE Philip Hutchinson, Lowestoft, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 8, 1951, Serial No. 260,670 In Great Britain March 31, 1949 Claims. (Cl. 79-42) The present; invention rel-ates to drilling machines and concerns particularly a multi-spindle machine for the purpose of drilling buttons or like articles, and its aim is to provide a simple and robust machine, which is capable of drilling accurately more buttons in a given time than any existing machine.

An illustrative multi-spindle drilling machine embodying the present invention comprises a plurality of turret units arranged around a table preferably adapted to be rotated continuously, each said turret unit including means to hold an article to be drilled, e. g. a button or a button blank, and having associated therewith, in vertical alinement or slightly offset therefrom, a rotatable drill spindle unit, the spindle of which is movable vertically with respect to the turret unit but moves as one therewith on the rotatable table.

Means are provided to ensure a full or partial rotation of the turret unit on its own axis simultaneously with its rotation with the table, so that by repeated operation of the drill spindle during one revolution of the table, a plurality of spaced holes may be drilled in the button or button blank.

The drill spindles may be arranged with their axes in alinement with, or parallel with, or inclined at a slight angle with respect to, the axes of the turret spindles.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, of which,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through the machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of certain parts of the machine as seen from the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view from the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

The illustrated machine has a main stationary table (Fig. 1) which is carried by pedestal supports |2.

A table It, rotating in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above, comprises a central column M and a depending skirt I5 which is formed with an inner and an outer series of columns or bearings l5 and I! respectively, arranged in con centric circles around the column l4, the number of such columnsv I6 and I! corresponding with the number of drilling stations, which in the case of the machine illustrated is six.

The column I4 is mounted on a central shaft l8 through the intermediary of upper and lower sleeves I9 and and, with the lower sleeve, rests 2 on a thrust bearing 2| carried on a center plate 22 mounted on the table I.

The table I3 is rotated on the shaft |8 by means of a pinion 23 keyed to the lower end of the column 4 and meshing with a gear wheel 24 secured to a shaft 25 projecting downward through the table II and driven through a reduction gear box 26 and belt 21 by an electric motor 28.

The table I3 is formed with an annular flat surface 29 on which rests a button plate 30 apertured in two concentric rings corresponding with the columns or bearings l6 and I? for a purpose which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Secured to the upper part of the column I4 is a drill support platform 34 and to an extension 35 of the shaft I8 is keyed a sleeve 36 having a flange 3? to which is bolted at 33 a cam support platform 39.

Each of the outer series of columns or bearings H of the skirt l5 carries a fixed sleeve 40 within which is mounted a turret spindle 4| on upper and lower ball-races 42 and 43, such spindles being rotatable or partially rotatable about their vown axes. A pinion 44 on the lower end of the spindle is in meshing engagement with a stationary gear ring 45, secured to the main table II. I i

A locking disk 46 is keyed 0n the turret spindle 4| and has formed in its periphery a number of notches 4'! (see Fig. 4) corresponding with the number of holes to be drilled in each button.

A locking lever 48, pivoted at 49 upon the table i3, is formed with a nose 50 to engage the notches 41 and carries an arm 5| having a cam roller 52, rotatable on a stud 53, said cam roller co-acting, under the influence of a spring 54, with a cam (Fig. 1) carried by the gear ring 45.

The lower end of the spindle 4| carries, in addition to the pinion 44, a friction washer 56, a spring 5'! and locknuts 58.

When the lockin lever 48 is moved by the cam 55 to cause the nose 5% to disengage from the notch 47, rotation of the spindle 4! is effected by the frictional engagement of the upper face 59 of the pinion 44 with the disk 46 and this rotation will continue until the nose 50 engages the next succeedin notch 41. The spindle 4| will thus make in each instance one quarter of a revolution i. e. in the case where four holes are to be drilled through one button.

Passing up through the center of the turret spindle 4|, and bearing in a sleeve 6! (Fig. 1), is a rod 62 to the upper end of which is riveted a 3 plate v63 normally urged downwardly by a spring 64 anchored to the spindle.

Upstanding from the plate 63 is a post 65 which supports a holder 66 for a button locating cup 61. Secured to a fiange 68 of the spindle 4| by three spaced posts 69 is a plate I disposed in the outer ring of apertures formed in the button plate 36. In its lower position the cup 61 holds or clamps a button to be drilled against the plate II! in register with a drill disk I The rod 62 is moved upward and hence the cup 61 lifted clear, to release the button, by a fixed cam plate I2 mounted on the table II.

The button feeding and ejecting mechanism at each station consists of a spindle I bearing in upper and lower sleeves I6 and II in the inner series of columns I6 of the table 13, said spindle supporting a feed arm I8 (Fig. 3) and an ejector arm I9. The feed arm I8, angularly adjustable by means of a block (Fig. 1), carries a feed block 8| formed with faces 82 to engage the periphery of a button I60 and the arm I9 has pivoted thereto at 83a. an ejector finger 83 biased by a spring 84 normally to lie against a pin 832) on the arm I9.

Oscillation of the arms 18 and I9 is effected by a. stationary cam 85 (Figs. 1 and 4) co-acting with a roller 86 journaled on a cam lever 81 biased by a spring 88, the lever 81 being keyed on the spindle I5.

The drill units are carried by the platform 34 and correspond with, and are in vertical alinement. with, the turret units or slightly offset therefrom.

A flanged plate 90 (Fig. 1) on the platform 34 supports columns or bearings 9| for drill sleeves 92. Each drill sleeve carries, in upper and lower ball-races 93 and 94, a drill spindle having a driving pulley 9-6 at its upper end, all the pulleys being rotated by a common belt 91 (Fig. 2) driven by a pulley 98, which in turn is driven by a belt 99 and motor NH. The drill sleeve 92 is closed by upper and lower sleeve caps I82 and I03, and at its upper end supports a lifting block I04 on which is journaled a lifting roller I05.

The roller I85 runs on a circular edge cam I06 carried by the platform 39. The contour of this cam is so coordinated with that of the cam plate I2 that the drill sleeve and drill spindle are raised as a. unit, against the pull of a spring IllI, four times to one raising of the cup 61.

After the buttons have been drilled, they are removed by the finger 83 and. fall through an opening I08 (Fig. 3) in the plate 30 to pass down a chute (not shown) or to one of a series of collecting and sorting boxes III! (Fig. 2).

The machine is covered at the top by a canopy I (Fig. 1) held on the sleeve 36 by a fixing block H2.

Buttons or button blanks may be fed to the button plate 30 by hand or automatically by appropriate means (not shown).

In operation, the rotating table I3 is first set in. motion and a button or button blank is placed on the plate 30 adjacent to the plate I0 and within the shaped surface of the feed block 8|, which at the appropriate moment is moved by the feed arm 18 to slide the button into alinement with the cup 61-. The feed block 8| is then withdrawn and simultaneously the finger 83 is moved against the pull. of its spring 84 past the button by a dog I85 (Fig. 3) or, the cup 61, or, the outer periphery of the button. On reverse movement of the feed arm. I8 later the finger 83 sweeps the previously drilled button into the opening I08. After register of the button with the cup 61 and clamping of the button by the cup, the spindle 95 is lowered, a hole is drilled and the spindle is raised again, by the cam I06. After raising the spindle the turret unit is rotated on its own axis as already described and then the spindle is lowered again to drill another hole, this operation being repeated until the requisite number of. holes is drilled, after which the raising of the drill spindle coincides with the action of the cam (plate I2 to lift the cup 61 clear of the drilled button. The arms I8 and I9 then move in unison to cause the finger 83 to sweep the drilled button to the collecting chute or a sorting box H0 and to place another button in position to be drilled.

As the table rotates a button is fed once per revolution thereof to each of the turret units, so that for each revolution as many buttons as there are turret units are drilled, each with a plurality of holes.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:v

1. In a drilling machine, a movable table. a turret unit supported on the table for rotary motion with relation to the table, work supporting and work clamping means on said turret unit, a drill also mounted on said table. substantially in alinement with the turret unit, the drill being mounted for movement with relation to the turret unit and for movement in unison withv the turret unit as a result of the movement of the table, and combined work positioning and work ejecting means also mounted on the table and operative in one continuous motion to. eject a drilled work piece from the turret unit and to present a new work piece thereto.

2. In a drilling machine, a rotatable table comprising a central column and a depending skirt, annularly spaced and concentrically arranged bearings on the skirt, a plurality of work supporting turret units mounted in said bearings, a plurality of drilling units mounted on said table each unit being in register with or slightly offset from a turret unit, a second series of annularly spaced and concentrically arranged bearings on the skirt, a series of combined work positioning and ejecting means mounted in the last mentioned bearings, one of said work positioning and ejecting means being arranged to co-operate with one of said turret units.

3. In a drilling machine, a rotatable table, a series of work supporting turret units concentrically arranged in spaced relation on the table, friction driving means operative as a. result of the rotation of the table to rotate each turret unit about its own axis, locking means associated with each turret unit for intermittently stopping the rotation of that turret unit, a series of drilling means also supported on the table and located substantially in register with the turret units, and means operative in time relation to the operation of said locking means to cause relative movement between the associated turret unit and the corresponding drill.

4. In a drilling machine, a rotatable table, a series of work supporting turret units concen trically arranged in spaced relation on the table, friction driving means operative as a result of the rotation of. the table to rotate each turret unit about its own axis, locking means associated with each turret unit for intermittently stopping the rotation of that turret unit, a series of drilling means also supported on the table and located substantially in register with the turret units,

means operative in time relation to the operation of said locking means to cause relative movement between the associated turret unit and the corresponding drill, and work positioning and ejecting devices mounted on the table, each of such devices being adapted to co-operate with one of said turret units to eject a drilled work piece from the turret unit and to present a new work piece thereto.

5. In a drilling machine, a rotatable table, a series of work supporting turret units concentrically arranged in spaced relation on the table, friction driving means operative as a result of the rotation of the table to rotate each turret unit about its own axis, locking means associated with each turret unit for intermittently stopping the rotation of that turret unit, a series of drilling means also supported on the table and located substantially in register with the turret units, means operative in time relation to the operation of said locking means to cause relative movement between the associated turret unit and the corresponding drill, work positioning and ejecting devices mounted on the table, each of 6 such devices being adapted to co-operate with one of said turret units to eject a drilled work piece from the turret unit and to present a new work piece thereto, and work clamping means provided on each turret unit and adapted to clamp the work in time relation to said relative movement between the turret unit and the drill.

PHILIP HUTCHIN SON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES- PATENTS 

